CFE: CFE/JCG: MAY 19 PLENARY - NO SCHEDULE YET;

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 USOSCE 000131

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

STATE FOR VCI/CCA, EUR/RPM
NSC FOR NILSSON, HAYDEN
JCS FOR J5 NORWOOD, COL SMITH
OSD FOR ISA (PERENYI)

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: KCFE OSCE PARM PREL
SUBJECT: CFE: CFE/JCG: MAY 19 PLENARY - NO SCHEDULE YET;
JCG-T IS REBORN "NATO-T"

REF: A. A.USOSCE 122

B. B.STATE 47107


1. (U) Summary. During the May 19 Joint Consultative Group
(JCG) plenary, Russia objected to holding the first JCG
meeting of the fall session on September 15 as proposed in a
Draft Decision. Russia argued it should be on September 8,
immediately following the opening meeting of the Permanent
Council (PC). Meanwhile, Poland recorded the latest Russian
CFE inspection refusal.


2. (SBU) During the JCG-T, Allies concluded previous
discussions on logistical coordination. The "JCG-T" will now
be known as the "NATO-T." The confusing system of weekly
chairmanships will be replaced by a monthly rotation that
corresponds to the new rotation by the ambassador-level "NATO
Caucus," beginning in the month of June with the U.S. as
chair. In addition, FSC issues will be folded into the new
"NATO-T" agenda alongside CFE-related issues, thereby
eliminating the confusing "NATO mini-caucus." End summary.

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Opening of Fall Session Remains TBD
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3. (U) Russia (Ulyanov) confirmed its May 12 objection (ref
A) to the Draft Decision on the Duration of the Present
Session (JCG.DD/1/09). Russia argued that the first JCG
plenary of a new session is customarily held immediately
after the opening-of-session meeting of the Permanent Council
(PC). Thus, Ulyanov indicated that the Draft Decision should
be amended to schedule the first JCG plenary of the fall
session for September 8, vice September 15 as currently
proposed. Ulyanov claimed it would send a "bad signal" that
JCG partners were "not ready to work" if the opening plenary
of the fall session were held on September 15. Russia also
noted it did not object to holding the last JCG meeting of
the current session on July 21. The Chair (Armenia,
Hovhannisyan) noted Russia's concern and placed the Decision
on the agenda of the June 2 JCG plenary.


4. (U) The Chair (Hovhannisyan) informed States Parties that
Greece - in its capacity as OSCE Chair - had requested the
cancellation of the June 23 JCG plenary, given its alignment
with the dates of the 2009 OSCE Annual Security Review
Conference (ASRC). Russia spoke in favor of cancellation.
Hovhannisyan requested that delegations consider Greece's
request for cancellation and stated that this could be agreed
at the next JCG session.


5. (SBU) Comment: At the June 2 JCG plenary, delegations are
almost certain to agree to set the close of round meeting on
July 21 and place the fall opening of round on September 8.
Many delegations consider finishing the spring session on
July 21 to be a week "early" (and are delighted). They also
note the JCG skipped the entire month of April for its spring
recess and has cancelled three more meetings of the spring
session. Thus, there is no will to quarrel with Russia over
the date of the opening of the fall round. End Comment.

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Poland Notes Latest Russian Inspection Refusal
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6. (U) Poland (Sobotka) notified the plenary of Russia's
refusal of a May 14 CFE inspection notification and called
for Russia to resume full implementation of CFE while
emphasizing the necessity that all States Parties comply with
the terms of the Treaty. Several Allies and partner states
spoke in support of Poland's statement and urged Russia to
resume compliance, including the Czech Republic (Reinohlova),
France (Fournier),Georgia (Giorgadze),Portugal (Teixeira),
Turkey (Begec),the UK (Gare),and the U.S. (Neighbour).

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TOI Consolidated Matrix Nears Completion
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USOSCE 00000131 002 OF 002



7.(U) The TOI Chair (Linteau) informed the plenary that
Canada had received comments and changes to the Draft
Consolidated Matrix (JCG.TOI/1/09) from several delegations
and had incorporated these changes into the document. The
U.S. had previously commented on the draft, per ref B.
Linteau stated that the document had been passed to Germany
for final production.

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JCG-T is Now the "NATO-T"
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8. (SBU) During the May 18 JCG-T 6, Allies concluded
discussions from the previous weeks on logistical
coordination for the new "NATO-T" meeting format. Allies
agreed that merging the JCG-T 6 and NATO Mini-Caucus meetings
will allow for more efficient discussion and coordination of
political-military issues in the OSCE space, provided that
procedures could be enacted to eliminate the prospect of a
non-CFE Ally acting as NATO-T chair during the discussion of
JCG issues.


9. (SBU) Prior to the May 18 JCG-T 6 meeting, Denmark
(Petersen) circulated a non-paper on options for ensuring
that non-CFE Allies do not chair JCG-related discussions.
Based on this non-paper, Allies agreed to a protocol whereby
the Chair, if it is not a CFE State Party, shall relinquish
chairmanship during the part of a NATO-T meeting when CFE is
under discussion to the current JCG chair (if the current JCG
chair is a NATO member) or to the CFE-depositary (the
Netherlands). All seemed comfortable with this arrangement.


10. (U) This also means the confusing system of week-long
chairmanships will be replaced by a monthly rotation that
corresponds to the new rotation by the ambassador-level "NATO
Caucus" beginning in the month of June with the U.S. as
chair.

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Bringing Open Skies into NATO-T
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11. (SBU) The UK (Gare) suggested that the Open Skies
Consultative Commission (OSCC) be included in the weekly
agenda for NATO-T meetings in the "rare instance" that NATO
coordination is required therein. The U.S. (Neighbour)
supported this recommendation, noting that the Second Review
Conference on the Implementation of the Treaty on Open Skies
in 2010 would benefit from Allied coordination and input.
Germany (Schweitzer) and Denmark (Petersen) also supported
the UK recommendation. Luxembourg (Pilot) twice spoke out
against coordinating Open Skies implementation within NATO,
noting that such practice was not customary and could
potentially be complicating.


12. (SBU) With the support of Turkey (Begec),JCG-T 6 Chair
Spain (Carnicero) offered a compromise whereby Open Skies
could be included on NATO-T agenda at the chair's discretion.
The Chair recommended further discussions on the matter at
the next NATO-T; most delegations are ready to drop the issue
and raise Open Skies under "any other business" whenever
needed.


13. (U) The next JCG plenary will be held on June 2, under
Armenian chairmanship. It will be immediately preceded by
the first meeting of the newly constituted "NATO-T" under
U.S. chairmanship.
Scott